The Tarnished Angels (1957)

Story of a friendship between an eccentric journalist and a daredevil barnstorming pilot.

Director:

Douglas Sirk

Writers:

William Faulkner (novel), George Zuckerman (screenplay)

Stars:

Rock Hudson, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rock Hudson	...	Burke Devlin
Robert Stack	...	Roger Shumann
Dorothy Malone	...	LaVerne Shumann
Jack Carson	...	Jiggs
Robert Middleton	...	Matt Ord
Alan Reed	...	Colonel Fineman
Alexander Lockwood	...	Sam Hagood
Christopher Olsen	...	Jack Shumann (as Chris Olsen)
Robert J. Wilke	...	Hank
Troy Donahue	...	Frank Burnham
William Schallert	...	Ted Baker
Betty Utey	...	Dancing Girl
Phil Harvey	...	Telegraph Editor
Steve Drexel	...	Young Man
Eugene Borden	...	Claude Mollet

Storyline

In the 1930's, a First World War flying ace named Roger Schumann is reduced to making appearances on the crash-and-burn circuit of stunt aerobatics. His family are forced to live like dogs while Shumann pursues his only true love, the airplane. When Burke Devlin, a reporter, shows up on the scene to do a "whatever happened to" story on Shumann, he is repulsed by the war hero's diminished circumstances and, conversely, drawn to his stunning wife, LaVerne.

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Plot Keywords:

1930s | new orleans louisiana | airplane race | based on novel | aerial camera shot | 

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Taglines:

The exciting stars of 'WRITTEN ON THE WIND"

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Faulkner believed this film to be the best adaptation of his own works.

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Goofs

Despite the fact that the story is taking place in the early 1930s, all of Dorothy Malone's clothing, hairstyles and make-up are strictly 1957, the year the picture was filmed.

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Quotes

Jiggs: Why, you dirty, no-good louse!

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Connections

Referenced in M Squad: The Star Witness (1959)

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Soundtracks

Old Folks at Home
(uncredited)
Written by Stephen Foster

User Reviews

A slight departure for director-extraordinarre Douglas Sirk

Although Douglas Sirk was Universal's house director in the mid-late 1950's turning out glossy soap after glossy soap (1954's "Magnificent Obsession", 1955's "All That Heaven Allows", 1959's "Imitation of Life"), he took a slight diversion with "The Tarnished Angels". Besides being in black and white, this actioner is much less sudsy than Sirk's other films of the era. Using the prinipal players from his 1956 epic soap "Written on the Wind", he creates a fast-paced melodrama following the adventures of a family of airplane stunt people and the reporter who is drawn into their world. Robert Stack is Roger Shumann, a stunt pilot, Dorothy Malone is his beautiful parachutist wife, and Rock Hudson is Burke Devlin, the intrigued reporter.

Roger is devasated when he crashes his prized plane, so another pilot(Robert Middleton) makes Roger a deal. He'll give Roger his plane in exchange for Roger's wife,LaVerne(Malone). Meanwhile, a used and abused LaVerne falls for Burke. There's not much here at all by way of plot. In fact, the film is really dull in that aspect. But what gives this movie legs are the brilliantly directed action sequences(some of the best ever captured on celluloid)and tremendous performances from Stack, Malone, and Hudson. Malone is especially amazing, following up her Oscar-win the previous year for "Written on the Wind". Mediocre film, interesting especially to Sirk fans.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pylon

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,788

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1